Wigan group's life-saving mission to fund-raises for public access defibrillator

Local resident Norman Prior is the chairman of the Bamfurlong neighbourhood group committee and has been raising money for a defibrillator (PAD) to be placed somewhere easily accessible for public emergencies within the neighbourhood.

At the moment there is currently only one at the Abram Bryn Gates Primary School, on Bolton Road, but its use is limited because it can only be available during school hours.

Once purchased, the new PAD has already been cleared to be placed on the Good Shepherd Church’s wall for easy access for everyone as a focal point of the community.

The lack of defibrillators is not a unique issue to Bamfurlong, with the Wigan borough only having a total of four PADs per 100,000 people as of 2019, courtesy of CE Safety.

In contrast, Bolton has a total of seven per 100,000 people, highlighting that Wigan has some catching up to do if more lives are potentially going to be saved.

This raises the question as to what more should be done within the town.

Committee members have been in contact with St John’s Ambulance to inquire which type of defibrillator would be the best suited for their needs along with the price of the equipment.

Since they received a quote of around £2,000 they have been fund-raising through various means, such as bingo nights, Christmas parties and Irish band nights and all proceeds will go towards the PAD.

However Mr Prior has also contacted the council regarding a grant to help top-up the money already raised to buy a PAD.

Mr Prior said: “It’s just about prevention and if it helps save a person’s life then that’s a winner.

“It will be placed right between Bryn Gates and Bamfurlong on the church wall on the main road, so it will be so it will be much easier for all of the community to access should we need to.”

Local community rugby clubs are able to apply for a grant through the Danny Jones Defibrillator Fund.